Vine-separating mechanism for potato-diggers.



Nolsswso- PATENTE'D SEPT. 10,1907. A. L. HOOVER. VINE SEPARATINGMECHANISM FOR POTATO DIGGERS.

APYLIOATIOY FILED JUNE 22, 1907.

,1 TTORNE Y5 UNTTED ARTHUR LEWIS HOOVER, OF AVERY, OHIO.

\/ Specification of Letters Patent.

VINE-SEPARATING MECHANISIK FOR POTATOr-DIGGERfi.

Patented Sept. io,1907.

Application filed June 22,1907. serial no. arrests.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, An'rinrn Lnw s Hooves, a'citizen of the UnitedSlates, residing at Avery, in the (murky of Erie and State of Ohio, haveinvented a new and useful Vine-Separating Mechanism forPot-ai,ol)iggers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to vine separating mechanisms for potatodiggers and it consists in the novel constructimi and arrangement of itsparts as hereinafter shown and described. I i

The object of the invention is to provide a separating mechanism of thecharacter indicated which may be applied as an attachment to a potatodigger or may be formed as a part of the same when the digger isoriginally constructed.

The mechanism consists primarily of a hopper adapted to be attached tothe rear end of a potato digger and which is, providedwith a conveyerbottom moving transversely with relation to the digger. A series ofspaced rods is located over the hopper and extends rcarwardly from thedigger. The rear extremities of the said rods are downwardly inclined. Avine lifter and thrower of peculiar construction is located above thesaid rods and is adapted to engage the potato vines, weeds, etc., andseparate the same from the roots.

In the accompanying drawing:-Figure 1 is a side elo vation of a potatodigger with the separator attached thereto and shown partly in section.Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the digger and separator; and Fig. 3 is arear elevation of the separator.

The potato digger consists of the side bars 1 having the digging point 2attached at their forward ends and spaced slats?) located between them.The cross slats 4 are attached at their ends to'the chains 5 and form aconveyor for elevating the potatoes, vines, weeds, etc. from the ground.The shaft 6 is journalcd for rotation at the upper portions of the sidebars 1 and the sprocket wheels 7 are fixed to the said shaft. The chains5 pass around the sprocket wheel 7 and similar sprocket wheels 8journaled for rotation at the lower end portions of the side bars 1. Theside bars 1 are mounted upon an axle 9which in turn is supported by thetraction Wheels 10. The said axle rotates with the said wheels. Thesprocket wheels 1] are fixcd to the axle 9' and the sprocket wheels 12are fixed to the shaft 6 in alinemeut with the sprocket wheels 11. Thechains 13 pass around the sprocket wheels 12 and over the sprocketwheels 14 and engage the sides of the sprocket Wheels 11 whereby thesprocket wheels 12 are caused to rotate in the opposite direction fromthat in which the sprocket who is 11 rotate. 3

The rear poi ions of the side bars 1 extend back subwhat is known asZ-iron and consequently they have the intermediate horizontal portions19 which lie over the chains 18. 'ill rosidcs ol' the said hopper 16 hetrans- 'crsely under the side bars 1 and are upwardly inclined.

as at 20 and are provided with a suitable chute 21 at their upper end.The shaft 22 is journal ed for rotation at the upper end. portions ofthe inclined extensions 20 and the chains 18 pass around the sprocketwheels 23 fixed to the said shaft. One end of the shaft 6 is providedwith a universal joint 24 to which is attached one end of the shaft 25.The opposite end of the last said shaft is provided with a beveledpinion 26 which meshes with a similar pinion 27 fixed to the shaft 22.The spaced rods 23 are located over the hopper 16 and extend inalinemcnt with the potato digger. The rear end portions of the said rodsare downwardly curved as at 29 and extend for some distance behind thehopper 16. .The crank shaft 30 -is jonrnaled for rotation above the rods28 and each crank of the said shalt is provided with a pivolally mountediinpaling lifter 3.1. The sprocket wheel 32 is fixed to the crank shaft30 and a sprocket wheel is fixed to the shaft-6 in alinement with thesprocket wheel 32. The sprocketchain 34 passes around the sprocketwheels 32 and 33.

From the foregoing description it is obvious that as the digger providedwith the vine and weed separator as described is drawn along the groiindand the potatoes are dug and elevated with the vines, weeds, etc. alongthe slats 3 that most of the earth will be sifted from the vegetationthrough the said slats and that the potatoes, together with the vinesand weeds, will be deposited upon the rods 28. As the crank shalt 30 isrotating the ini'paling lifters'31 will engage the vines and weeds andelevate-the same and cast them upon the downwardly curved end portions29 of the said rods 28 while the potatocs will pass through the spacesbetween the said reds and fall upon the conveyor bottom 17 of the hopper1G. The vines, weeds, etc. fall from the ends of the rods 28 to theground immediately in the rear of the potato digger While the potatoesare can'icd by the conveyor bottom 17 up along the inclined extensions20 of whence they may fall into a suitable receptacle such es 1; Wagonbody or its equivalent.

. Having described my invention what I claim as new fiend desire tosecure by Letters-Patent is:

-1. A sepamtor as described comp'rising a hopper, a conveyer forming thebottom of the some, spn ced rods located 'above the hopper and a vinelifter locdtediabove said rods. 2. in combination with a digger havingan elevator, n

10 hopper attached to the digger below the end of the elevator, rodslocated above the hopper and extending in alinement with the digger,said hopper having a. movable conveyer iiottorn which moves'trnnsvetselywith relation to the digger, n vine litter located above the rods, meansor transmitting movement from the digger elevator to the litter, andmeans for transmitting movement from the digger elevator'to the hopperbottom. I 4

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I

have hereto efllxed my signaturein the presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR ms HOOVER. Witnesses Fimn A. Romulus.

